Vision is an important source of information for humans, and the acquisition and utilization of images, such as digital images, has numerous applications in a broad range of endeavors, such as industrial, medical, ecological, scientific, engineering, publishing, educational, and other endeavors For example, in a power generation application there may be a large number of digital images capturing visual examinations and inspections performed throughout the manufacturing and service life of a typical component for a combustion gas turbine engine Within a given business organization, these images may be acquired by different personnel and for meeting different objectives.
To augment traditional manual visual inspections, it is known to utilize the capabilities of modern optical imaging devices with computers and software in systems, often referred to as computer aided visual inspections. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,477,154 and 8,244,025 as examples of computer aided inspection of objects based on processing of acquired images of the objects, each commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention The widespread use of digital images is intensifying the need to develop more effective ways for organizing and/or retrieving such images. Disclosed embodiments are believed to successfully address at least such needs.